CEBU CITY, Philippines — Never leave your children alone at home.
This was the advice issued by Police Major Christian Torres, chief of the Balamban police station after a two-year-old baby boy perished in a fire that razed his home in Sitio Upper Segra, Barangay Buanoy, Balamban town, Cebu, around 10:25 this morning, January 21, 2020.
The boy and his two other minor siblings were reportedly left alone in their house.
“Kung walay lain mabilinan sa bata, dalhon nalang unta sa trabaho,” said Torres.
(If no one could take care of the children, the parents should take them to work.)
Torres identified the fatality as Alvin Cabaton.
According to the initial investigation of the Balamban Fire Department, siblings Alvin, Angel, 4 and a 15-year-old sister with special needs were left alone inside their house when the fire broke out on the second floor.
Torres said that Angel was allegedly playing with matches and accidentally set their home on fire. The blaze instantly spread to three other houses which were made of light materials.
Torres said no one was able to rescue the baby as the fire was already too big when the neighbors were informed that the baby was still inside.
The mother of the children, Nancy Cabanton according to Torres was about a kilometer away from the area, selling junk foods for a living.
He said the father of the children died last December 2019.
Torres said that Angel was brought to the Balamban District Hospital after sustaining first degree burns while the baby boy is now in a local funeral home.
The fire was put out at around 10:34 with damages costing up to at least P240,000.
Fire Inspector Rogelio Baran of the Balamean Fire Department, reminds the parents to keep matches or any flammable materials away from children’s reach.y
Baran also said that keeping your house clean and orderly is one way to prevent fire. /rcg